Electrically operated vending machine



Jan. 10, 19,39.` L. H. MORIN 2,1435790 ELECTRICALLY yoPEfuuED VENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 8, `1936 7 Sheets-Sheet l [dais/Klan):

Jan. 10, 1939. L.. H. 'MORIN ELECTRICALLY OPERTED VENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 8, 1956 7 Sheets-,Sheet 2 QM m A vvvvvvvv tofwwnab l Jan. l0, 1939. H. MCRIN 2,143,790-

ELECTRICALLY oPEaATED VENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 8, 1936 7 sheets-sheet 3 wiki/[101m x www Jan. 10, 1939. L.. H. MORIN l, 25143390 ELECTBICALLY lOPERATED VENDING MACHINEv l Filed Jan.` 81956 7 sheets-sheet 4 Jan. 10, 1939. L, H. MORIN 4 2,143,790

I ELECTRICALLY OPEHATED VENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. e, 193e v sheets-snaai 5 my.; @mnd-*Ws Jari. A10, 1939. m- H. GRIN* 2,143,790

ELECTRICALLY OPEATED VAISNDING MACHINE Filed Jan. e, 193e fr sheetssneet '7 -l i if 6.907

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Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED 'STATES A ausm mc'rmcnmr ormm vENmNG mom um; n. M01-m, New York, N. assigner zo Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, a., a lcorporatlon of Delaware y Application .mmm s, i936, serial No. 58,206

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This invention relatesto electrically operated vending machines and is primarily adapted' to that class of such machines which are used to vend precooled bottled beverages.

Since the potable temperature of a bottled beverage is a prime factor, thepresent invention contemplates a vending machine which will not accept a coin should either the cooling device or operating mechanism become 'inoperative through failure ofthe electric current.

The primary Vobject of the invention is to provide a' machine which .shall be efficient in operation, means being incorporated therein to reject and return improper coins or tokens, but operating quicklyto deliver a cooled bottle, upon insertion of a proper coin without the necessity of further effort on the part of a customer, beyond the actual removal of the vended article.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of such a machine, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view partly broken away to show 4interior construction.

Figure 2 is a side view partly in section showing electrical connections.

Figure 3- is a detail view of the make and break connection for the cover.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of electrical connections.

, Figure 5 is a detail perspective View of electrical connections. Figure 6 is a detail view of securing means between the casing and cabinet.

Figure 7 is a section of the solenoid.

Figure 8 is a wiring diagram.

Figure 9 is a front elevation of the operating mechanism.

Figure 10 is aside elevation of the operating 'mechanism with certain parts in section.

Figure 11 is a detail section of the housing cover fastening means.

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the operating mechanism with the housing in section.

form of driving Figure 17 is a section showing the means for closing the coin chute to render the operating mechanism inoperative, and I Figure 18 is a detail showing the coin return and coin retaining means.

Figure 13 is a section on line |3|3 of Figure (Cl. 19d- 10) The machine comprises a suitably insulated cabinet 25 having two covers 26 and 21 giving access to the cabinet interior. may be removable bodily from the cabinet, but the cover 26 is mounted upon links 28 pivotally mountedon brackets 29 on the interior wall of the cabinet 25 and bracket 30 carried by the cover 23 on its under face. By this construction, the cover 25 can be raised with a vertical and horizontal movement, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, exposing that portion of the interior of the `cabinet 25 normally closed by such cover 26.

for. the articles being The cover 21 in a casing 32,having a removable iront portion 33 through which projects the coin slot 34.

The front 33 has formed integral therewith the coin return cup 35. As shown in Figure 11 the front 33 telescopes slightly into the casing 32 as at 36 and is removably locked in such position by a lock 3l reieasably engaging a pin' 38 carried by the member 39 threaded at 4I) for rigid.

support by the bracket 4I within the casing 32. The casing 32, as shown in detail in Figure 6,

is 'supported upon the cover 26 by legs 42, interiorly threaded at I3 for engagement by headed screws Within thel cabinet 25 there is a conveyor 45 adapted for horizontal movement to bring articles to be vended in alinement with the discharge ent invention except insofar as it cooperates therwith.v In the presentk construction of vending machine, it is intended to dispense with the ejector mechanism Vof 'my prior applications, the

present construction being adapted to simply bring a bottle underneath the discharge opening in a position where it can be removed by the customer.

The cabinet is'illled with water to a properlevel and is cooled by means of a coil 4B which is a portion of an electrically operated mechanical refrigeration unit, conventionally illustrated at 41, with its source of electric current being the wires .I8 which may'draw current from a wall plug not shown.

Within the .casing 33 is mounted the female Y portion Il of a two part electric plug, the re- .movable or male member being shown at 50.

From the part 5I wires 5l pass into the interior ing upon the closing oi' the cover 26.

, From the socket 49 extend wires 56, 51 connected in series with a thermal overload cut out, 58 having a manually operable reset means 59, a universal motor 60, a coin operated switch 6| with contact points 62 and 63 and a series resistor 64. By means of an extension wire 65 from wire 56 a solenoid 66 having a core member 61 in the form of a rod, is in said circuit, but not under control of switch 6|, the purpose of this arrangement being to keep solenoid 66 energized at all times the machine is connected to a source of current as hereinafter described. With the current on the core 61 is normally retracted against the action of a coil spring 68. Core 61 carries a member 69 at its outer extremity, such member being bent at 10.

Rearwardly of the coin slot 94 and designated by the numeral 1| is the mechanism of my prior Patent No. 1,945,948 dated February 6, 1934, Protecting means for coin controlled apparatus. This mechanism in addition to protecting the machine against the insertion of foreign matter and bogus coins,.provides means for impelling proper coins from the slot 34 inwardly to the coin shute 12. The inward impulse given to an entering coin by the mechanism 1|` is such that a buffer for the coin is necessary. Thisbufler constitutes a member 13 pivoted at 14 to permit slight rearward movement until stopped by member 15 after the incoming coin has" struck against the member 13. Buier 13 is slightly curved at its lower end, as at 16, to forma temporary support for an incoming coin which has been momentarily halted by striking the builer A permanent magnet 11 projects into the, coin chute 12. Should a bogus coin or check pass the mechanism v1| it will be, during its momentary contact with buffer 13, attracted by such magnet 11, diverting the fall of such coin away from the vertical to cause it to travel along the incline 19 which is alined with incline 19 on the interior of the front portion 33 of the casing 32 Incline 19 is formed with side walls 80. throughout a portion of its length Ywhich guide the rejected coin into the coin\return 35.

A proper coin or'check is unaiected by the magnet 11 and drops vertically into engagement with toe 6| oi lever 82 pivoted at 83 to normally assume the position shown in full lines in Figure 15 but limited by the thickness of a member engaged by extension 85. liever 82 carries an arm 66 in which is adjustably mounted a threaded member 61 of ber o'r similar nonconductive material, such member 31 engaging the under side of contact 63 of switch 6|. The weight of the coin upon the part li moves the lever 82 tothe right as shown in dotted lines in Figure 15, closing contacts 62 and 63. This starts motor 60 with consequent rotation or the shaft 33, which through the medium -of bevel gears 09, 36, Figure l0, rotates shaft 9| which carries by means of an eccentric 32, the pawl/93 which, under the urge of leaf spring 94 engages l disk 96.

' ture.

the teeth of ratchet 95 upon the periphery of To prevent backlash a second pawl 91 is pivotally mounted at 98 upon a stub shaft 99 carried by a journal |00 formed in the casing v32. Shaft 99 is pinned at |0| for removal. Pawl` 91 is held in engagement with the teeth 96 by a spring |02 mounted at |03 on the interior' Wall of casing 32.

Above the pawls 93 and 91 and mounted adjacent the periphery of the disk 96 isa ring member |04 and having a series of depressions |05 between which'lie cam surfaces |06 connecting at one end of each cam with the adjacent depression |05 by an incline |01 and at the other end by an abrupt drop |08. ring member |04 is shown partly cut away in order to illustrate the teeth 95 of disk 96, such teeth being located below the member |04. Below the ratchet 95 is a -circular boss |09 having a shoulder ||0 from which depends a shaft hollowv to form a bore as at ||2 and terminating in a bifurcated end ||3 having slots ||4. The shaft is rotatably mounted in a journal ||5 having a bearing ||6 which cooperates with the shoulder H0. Within the bore ||2 is mounted a rod |1 pinned at ||8 and having an enlarged head- 9 which confines a coil spring. |20 ex- 'cause the raising of cover 26 carries with it the operating mechanism.

Figure 14 shows a modification of the driving connection between the motor shaft 9| and the disk 96. In this form the pawl 93 audits eccentric mounting is dispensed with and a suitable train of gears |22, |23 and |24 is provided to drive the disk 96, gear teeth |25 being used instead of ratchet 95. This construction is used where quieter operation of the machine is desired, as when installed in oices or the like.

Fromk opposite sides of the coin chute 12 extend brackets |26 and |21. Bracket |26 is provided' with ears |28|29 and bracket |21 is similarly formed with ears |30|3|, all four of such ears being provided lwith a central aper- Pivoted in ears |28-|29 on bracket |26 is an arm |32 carrying at one end a roller |33 normally engaging one of the depressions |05 of disk 96, such arm |32 being elongated to form a rigid extension |34 which terminates in the member 84. A spring |35 coiled about pivot |36 and bearing against a pin |31 tends to yieldingly hold roller |33 Within one of the depressions |05 and the member 84 in the position shown in full linesin Figure 15.

Mounted to permit rotation within the ears |30|3l o f the bracket '|21 is a rod |38 which extends upwardly to a point |39 where it is bent to form a horizontal portion |40 and again bent 'at |41 to provide an upwardly extending verti- In Figure 13 the from projection into the coin chute. Fast upon the rod |38, and adjustable with relation theretov through a set screw |48 is mounted an arm |41 having an angular projection |48,engaging the' arm |34 at the beginning of the portion 84 of said arm |34. Y

Also mounted upon the rod |38 and adjust-v ably secured to said rod |38 by means of` a set screw |48 is an arm |50 provided at its outer formedupon a bar |53 which extends across the ffront of the control mechanism as best shown in Figure 9 where it engages a bell crank |54 pivoted at |55 upon a bracket |56, the opposite end of said bell crank being engaged by a vertically extending member |51. The bell crank V|54 and the member |51 are under tension of a spring |58 secured at |58 to the member |51 and at its other end at a suitable point |60 within the casing. The tension of thisfspring tends to normally keep members |53, |54 and |51 in the position shown best in Figure 9.

As shown in Figure 10 a member' |6| is pivoted at |82 to the member |51 and extends horizontally to a point within the cabinet for engagement by the article to be vended. This feature is not illustrated herein, but is shown and described in my co-pending applications above referred to. For the sake ofclearness in this application, as long as there are articles to be vended within the cabinet, the member |51 and its cooperating linked members remain in the position shown in Figures 9 and 10. If the machine is empty under the pull of spring |58, membery |51 moves upwardly in the direction of the :arrows in said figures givingcorresponding movement to parts |88 and |53. i

On the rod '|38 is a pin |63 to which is fastened,

' one end of a coil spring |64, theother end being secured to the bracket |21 as at- !85, such spring being coiled about rod |38 in such manner as to cause said rod |38 and the arm |41 to assume the position shown in Figure 13 and to return such parts to such position-after the operation shown in Figure 1'1. A

Below the discharge end of the Vcoin' chute 12 is a coin-receiving box |88 removable with the front portion 33 of the casing 32. r

The operation of the machine is as follows:-

A coin or token is inserted in the coin slot 34 and drawn inwardly by the mechanism 1|. 4If the necessary current for the operation of the mechanical refrigeration unit and the operation of the machine mechanism is beingv supplied to the machine, the solenoid 86 is being energized to retract the core-rod 81 against the action of spring 88 and the coin iwill pass readily by the member 89. If, on the other hand, the electric current is oi, the solenoid 86 is deenergized and rod 8i under the action of spring 68 projects into the coin slot and the member 68 deilects ,the entering coin or token preventing further rear, ward movement of said coin and causing it to fall vertically into the coin return 35.,

An entering coin or token under normal conditions is projected rearwardly against the buffer 13 where the progresso such coin is momentarily halted within the curvedv portion 18. Should the coin or token be an improper one it is, at this point attracted by the magnet 11 and drawn thereto where such improper coin rolls downwardly around the outer periphery of such magnet iinally dropping into the coin return 35.

If a propercoin has been momentarily halted,

by the butler' 13 it is not attracted by the magi end with a pin |5|'. Pin |5| engages an eye |52 i of this invention.

' thus rotating the disk 86 in a clockwise direction.

. If the construction of drive is as illustrated in Figure limotion is transmitted by shaft 9| to gear |22 and is transmitted. therefrom through gears |23 and |24 to the disk 88 by its engaging teeth |25. y

Rotation of the disk 98 in a clockwise direction by either drive causes the roller |33 to ride upon the inclined surface |01 until it engages the outer periphery of the raised portion |06 oi the ring |04. This travel of roller |83 causes lever |32 to move outwardly upon its pivot |36 causing a corresponding movement of the arm |34 inwardly carrying with it member A84 which in its travel now engages part 85 of the lever 82 causing such lever to move well to the right holding spring contacts 62 and 83 closed and permitting the coin held by toe 8| to drop downwardly into the coin box |68. l

At the same time movement of the member 84, being-in engagement with the extension of lever |81 causes such lever |41 to move in a clockwise directionand being fast on shaft |38 Vrotates such shaft to cause consequent entry of the extension IM thereof into the coin slot 12 through the aperture |45,v the pin |5| sliding freely to the left in eye |52. This operationis for the purpose of preventing the insertion of another coin into the machine while a vending operation remains incomplete. 4The rod |84 effectively-.blocks entrance to the coin slot 12 and causes an inserted cointo drop into the coin return 35.

During this operation the shaft |1 has been rotating to transmit through 'the medium of the member l8 and its cross pin |2|`, motion to the driving shaft of the dispensing conveyor which is located inside or the cabinet and forms no part Continued operation causes 4further movement of the disk 88 in a clockwise directionuntil roller |33 reaches point |08 and drops` oi of the raised vportion |08 into the next lower portion |05. In

this position lever |32 moves inwardly upon the pivot causing a corresponding outward movement of the arm |84 and the member 84 whereupon the lever 82 byl its own weight again assumes the position shown in full lines in Figure opening spring contacts 62 and83 to cut ofi current from the motor to complete the vending operation for a single delivery. During the last part of this operation the spring |64 has caused the rod |38 to rotate to withdraw the rod extension |44 from its blocking position in the coin slot entrance. This return movement of the rod |38 to its. normal position has caused corresponding movement ofthe arm |41 so thatthe parts again assume the position shown in Figure 13', ready for subsequent vending operation.

It will be seen that should current from the source to the wall plug or other connection which supplies wires 48 and 54 be interrupted whereby refrigeration fails, solenoid 68 will be deenergized to prevent the passage ofa coin to cause operation of switch 82, 83 and therefore delivery of a bottle, the coin being returned` to the customer.

Such

be a portion of the connection for the current supply from the power source.

Iclaim: g 1. In an electrically' operated vending machine, in combination: a coin'closed switch; electrically driven vending means controlled by said switch; electrically driven means for cooling articles to be vended; said electrically driven meansv operated by current from a common source; and

means to prevent the closing of said switch by a coin upon failure at said source of current for driving said cooling means.

2. In an electrically operated vending machine in combination, a means operable to move articles to a vended position, an operatingJ electric circuit for said means including a coin-controlled switch, an electricaly operable refrigerating means for said articles operatively disposed in a circuit supplied from the same source as the first named circuit, whereby upon failure of current supply to the refrigerating means at said source, the ilrst mentioned means cannot operate to vend articles from the machine.

3. In anelectrically operated vending machine in combination, means `operable to move articles toa vending position, an operating electric circuit i'or said means including a coin-controlled switch; an electrically operable refrigerating means for said articles operatively disposed in a circuit supplied from the same source as the first named circuit, whereby upon failure oi' current supply to the refrigerating means at said source, the rst mentioned means cannot operate to vend articles from the machine, and mechanism operable by the ilrst mentioned means to prevent insertion of a coin to operate the switch during a vending operation.

4. In a machine of the class described, structure providing a coin deposit chute, an element movably mounted in said chute coacting with 'the structure to arrest deposit of eachcoin and `to, impart an initialmovement to said element,

electric circuit means including a normally open switch closable by said element through said movement, and vending mechanism operable by said electric circuit, including a movable member operating during vending to impart further movement to said element to release the arrested coin and to hold said circuit closed.

5. In a machine of the class described, struc- .ture providing a coin deposit chute, an element movably mounted in said chute having means coacting with the structure to arrest deposit of each coin and. impart an initial movement to said element, electric circuit means including a normally open switch closable by said element through said movement, vending mechanism operable by said velectric circuit means including lever means pivoted on said structure and connected with said element and means operated by said vending mechanism to impart further' movement to said lever means to immediately release the arrested coin and to hold said switch closed during the vending operation.

6. In a device of the class described: mechanically operated article vending apparatus; an electric motor geared to drive said apparatus; a coin chute; a lever pivoted adjacent said chute and having a portion projecting into said chute; a switch to close the circuit ofsaid motor operated to closedf position by engagement of a coin with said portion; and means operated by said geared drive to further move said lever toward switch closing position and to release said coin during initial movement of the vending apparatus.

LOUIS H. MORIN. 

